Gov. Phil Murphy is recommending that everyone once again wear masks in certain indoor settings, but fell short of issuing a mask mandate.

This comes on the heels of guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that people should wear masks indoors in areas of high transmission, even if they have been vaccinated. The recommendation applies to crowded places or places where there is close contact with others who may not have been vaccinated.

Murphy said on Wednesday, "Our metrics are trending in the wrong direction, and new data suggests the delta variant is more transmissible even among vaccinated individuals-- which is why we are making this strong recommendation."

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The governor’s statement continued, “Fortunately, our numbers are a fraction of those in many other states--most of which have significantly lower vaccination rates. Should our numbers reach those levels, we reserve the right to take more drastic action, including a statewide mask mandate.”

New Jersey health officials reported 854 new positive COVID-19 PCR tests on Wednesday, up from 792 reported on Tuesday.

The governor has previously stated that a majority of the people hospitalized with COVID-19 are people who have not received the vaccine. He has been urging all New Jersey residents to get the vaccine if they are eligible.

State health officials have previously stated that being vaccinated is the best way to combat the pandemic.